National R&D project for mining robots launched in Shanxi

A national research and development project for comprehensive tunneling robots for large mines was launched on June 6 by Shanxi Coking Coal Group Co, based in North China's Shanxi province.

Together with Shanxi Tiandi Coal Machinery Equipment Co and Taiyuan University of Technology, Shanxi Coking Coal Group Co will combine the trio's resources and jointly tackle key problems to ensure the smooth progress of the project.

The venture will carry out research into various fields such as planning controls and autonomous decision-making.

It will embark on developing integrated anchoring and digging robots that are capable of autonomous walking and automatic cutting, a support robot with fixed-step walking and automatic support capabilities, as well as seek to develop a coal mine tunneling robot system – to realize unmanned tunneling operations.

It is expected that it will take three years to complete the project's R&D, which will focus on the major strategic needs of China's intelligent coal mining sector and try to solve the existing problems of low coal mine tunnel excavation efficiency, low automation and a high dependence on labor.

Once complete, the project will integrate big data and artificial intelligence with safe and efficient mining. It is seen as liberating frontline excavators from difficult and unsafe working conditions, which will have great and far-reaching significance to the reform of coal mining methods.

Wang Guofa, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the project was in response to national needs and was being driven by the spirit of innovation at Shanxi Coking Coal Group Co.

In recent years, the company has committed itself to the integration of intelligent technology and the coal industry, undertaking a number of major national science and technology projects.

In 2020, the group installed China's first underground coal mine 5G network and about 20 intelligent working platforms, contributing to the transformation and upgrading of the coal industry.